


1.06: You Better Shape Up

by JustLikeTheSong



Series: NYC Spin-Off 'Verse [8]
Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/F, F/M, Friendship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-21
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-26 07:45:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/648206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLikeTheSong/pseuds/JustLikeTheSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(1) Mike and Tina struggle with long distance, and Mike pays a visit to Lima to see McKinley's production of Grease.</p><p>(2) Brittany considers dropping out of high school to move to New York.</p><p>(3) Rachel and her friends visit Lima to see McKinley's production of Grease, and a phone call and conversation with Finn leave Rachel heartbroken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That's a Thing I'd Never Do

To say Mike was stressed out was an understatement.  He had a week full of midterms and evaluations ahead of him (thankfully the last of them), his room mate wouldn’t stop drinking his protein shakes, even though they’re always labelled  he was recovering from the flu bug that had just made its way through NYU, his dad was breathing down his neck about his grades (apparently that didn’t stop now that he was studying dance at Julliard), and his favorite pair of suspenders had been missing for almost three weeks now.

And then there was his girlfriend.  Tina had been acting so distant, barely making time for him, and when he did get the chance to talk to her, she always sounded irritated and impatient.  He knew she was busy with the play and glee club and college applications and keeping up her grades for her senior year, but they were never going to make it through this long distance thing if they weren't both putting in the effort.  And it felt like he’s the only one who was.

The last straw was the picture Artie put up on Facebook of [Sam and Tina](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mf4enfkUmM1qilqg8.png).  She’s apparently sleeping, backstage after a long rehearsal of the school musical.  Her head is resting on Sam’s chest and her arm is wrapped around his waist while Sam has his arm around her shoulders and is laughing at the camera.  [Mike](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mf2g7psfhi1qilqg8.png) saw it while killing time on his laptop looking at photos of himself and Kevser goofing off in the rec room before his Psychology class Monday morning, and he spent all class stewing about it instead of listening to his professor rant about Freud.  He’d worked himself up so much by the end of the block that the moment he rushed out of class, he pulled out his cell phone and called her.

Of course she didn't answer ( _she never answers any more_ , he thought bitterly).  He tried to tell himself it was because she was probably in class as he texted her to call him ASAP.

She did phone him, fifteen minutes later, sounding impatient.

“Mike, what is it?  I have five minutes before my next class.”

He gritted his teeth.  “Why is it such a chore for you to talk to me?”

“What?!” He winced at her tone. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me, Tina.  It’s like I’m pulling teeth, here.”

“Like you’re – give me a break, Mike.  Like you can even talk –“

“I saw that picture of you and Sam,” he interrupted her furiously, “is that what’s taking up all of your time?”

“Uh, yeah, he happens to be Kenickie.  I’m Rizzo, in case you forgot.  We have a lot of rehearsals together.”  She sounded both confused and annoyed.

“Right.  Rehearsals,” Mike spat out, “and were you rehearsing when you sang '3' during Britney week with him and Joe?  Funny how you forgot to mention that when you came to New York.  I had to hear it from Santana, whose girlfriend actually tells her things.  You sang a song about a threesome with two other guys!”

“We sang it to cheer up Brittany, and – wait, what exactly are you saying?  Don’t you  _dare_  –“

“I just think you’re making an awful lot of time for other guys,” Mike said, his jaw set.  _And not me._

“Well,” she said icily, “I seem to have a lot of free time on my hands these days, so why shouldn’t I?”

He physically reared back at her words, and his heart clenched painfully.  “Yeah, why shouldn’t you?” He replied lowly.  “In fact, we should probably try seeing other people, have an open relationship, if that’s what you want.”  He felt his eyes smart with tears and furiously rubbed them away as he stormed through the quad.

“There it is!” She was shouting now.  “It’s obviously what  _you_  want, Mike!  Now you can go on and do it with Kevser, like you so  _clearly_  want to!”

“W – Kevser is my friend, Tina!”

“Yeah, I’ve seen how you two dance together; it’s obvious you’re  _very_  friendly,” Tina said, and his mouth fell open in shock when he heard her voice crack.  “And you seem to have time to spare for  _her_ , and not your stupid high school girlfriend!  So go right ahead!”

She hung up and didn't reply to his texts or calls.

He stopped when he got a text from Blaine.

**We’re going to Lima to see Grease on Fri.  Want to come too?**

Mike though of Tina and how much he loved her, how much he didn't want to lose what he had with her, and decidds that the only chance they had to work it out was to see each other face-to-face.

***

“Nervous flyer?” [Blaine](http://cdn01.cdn.socialitelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/darren-criss-csa-artios-awards-arrivals-09272011-03.jpg) asked.

The five of them – Santana, Mike, Blaine, Kurt, Rachel – had a row of seats together for their flight to Lima.  [Santana](http://www1.pictures.stylebistro.com/gi/Naya+Rivera+Pants+Shorts+Skinny+Pants+yZPnCpKguBll.jpg) had pointedly opened a textbook, while [Kurt](http://media.tumblr.com/9a4dbafaa6de6e1a39931a223c33fbaf/tumblr_inline_mjq6peVexT1qz4rgp.png) and [Rachel](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdlrwlmYQJ1qeds6ko1_r1_500.jpg) were flipping through the in-flight shopping magazine.

[Mike](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdm2tgDTFV1r4hiwoo1_500.png) looked down at his hands, which were twisting his seatbelt over and over.

“No,” he said quietly to Blaine, “nervous boyfriend.  Tina doesn’t know I’m coming and the last time we talked she hung up on me.”

Blaine’s eyebrows shot up.  “Wow.  What’s going on?”

Mike blew out a frustrated breath.  “Long distance is hard.  I don’t know.  It feels like she’s pulling away from me.”

“You’ll work it out,” Blaine said, nudging his shoulder, “you and Tina are one of the strongest couples I’ve ever seen.  I think it’s a good idea to go see her.  Talking it out always helps.”

“Well, I just hope it’s a welcome surprise,” Mike muttered, going back to twisting the seatbelt strap.

Blaine pursed his lips.  “Well, maybe you could get her some flowers, just in case.”

“If you two gossiping hens wouldn’t mind keeping it down a little, some of us are trying to study,” Santana said with a sardonic smile.  “But thanks for the idea, Anderson.  We’re definitely making a stop so I can pick up flowers for Brittany.”

“That is a good idea,” Mike told Blaine, earning himself a half-hearted glare from Santana.

***

As he sat in the audience in McKinley’s auditorium next to Blaine, Mike couldn’t stop fidgeting.  His leg bounced and he tapped out a rhythm on the paper of the [bouquet](http://www.freshflowersandgifts.com.au/shop/images/big/ffg-pink-white-lily-bouquet.jpg) of flowers in his lap.  Santana was giving him a baleful stare and Blaine leaned over to ask if he was okay.

“I can’t wait until the end of the play,” he said suddenly, standing up and shuffling past Santana, “I need to see her now.”

He ignored Blaine’s hisses to come back, and it was only once he was backstage and he spotted Tina, recognizing the back of her, that he realized he had forgotten the flowers.

“Dude!” [Sam](http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/28100000/December-6th-2011-Filming-Summer-Nights-song-sam-evans-28157612-682-1024.jpg) said, rushing over to high-five him hello, “what’s up?”

“Hey, Sam,” Mike said, smile tight, “would you mind giving me a minute with Tina?” He directed the question towards his girlfriend, now that [she](http://images.partycity.com/images/products/en_us/pc/detail/P320899_dt.jpg) was turned around and looking at him with a surprised expression.

“What are you doing here?” Tina asked once they were alone.  She sounded so uncertain, and he really hated that he was the reason his normally confident girlfriend currently looked so unsure.

“I…I came to see you.  We need to talk.”

Her cheeks flushed and she crossed her arms.  “Well, I can’t.  Right now.  Artie wants us all in the choir room for a show circle.”

“O-okay.  But after?”

“…yeah.”  She wouldn't look at him, instead keeping her eyes lowered to her hands, which were clasped in front of her.

“Okay,” he said again, feeling stupid, “okay, break a leg.”

***

The only times Mike actually concentrated on the play were when Tina was on stage as Rizzo.  She really shined, and his heart felt sick that he had let things get so messed up between them.  Seeing her in the spotlight she’d wanted for years was bitter-sweet.  Acting and singing made her so happy, and now that she was finally getting the opportunities she deserved, he wasn't around to celebrate it with her.

She did amazing with 'Sandra Dee', adopting quite a Santana-esque attitude and producing laughter and gasps from the audience.

But it was when she stepped into a literal spot light, completely alone on stage, for her second [solo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuY4J6TkQLc), that Mike felt tears coming to his eyes.

_“There are worse things I could do, than go with a boy or two…”_

Her eyes seeed to find him and he just knewthat she was singing about him.  To him.

_“I could stay home every night, wait around for Mr. Right…”_

 It was vulnerable and heart-breaking and delicate, just like the heart he knew so well.  How could he have let himself forget about that?

_“…but to cry in front of you: that’s the worst thing I could do.”_

Blaine leaned over and whispered, “She’s wonderful.”

Though tears fell from her eyes, Tina didn't break down like she might have in the past.  Mike had tears to match Tina’s, but he couldn't help but swell with pride at her performance.  He only hoped her song meant they could figure this out.

***

After the cast took their final bows to the cheers of the audience, Mike waited a few minutes, wanting to let Tina celebrate with her cast mates, before he headed back stage again, this time armed with his bouquet.  He hid out in the wings while she hugged various people, until she spotted him and ducked her head, making her way over to him.

“Hi,” he said quietly.

“Hi.  You brought me flowers.”  Her voice was soft, and she reached out to touch one of the petals.

“You were amazing up there,” he blurted, “and I forgot to tell you earlier: you look beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Tina said, blushing, “you look very nice.”

There was an awkward moment of silence, and then Tina was speaking very fast.

“Look, Mike, I don’t think I can do an open relationship.  I guess if it’s what you really want, I could try, but I just don’t think I can.  I get jealous even thinking of you dancing with someone other than me; you remember Sectionals two years ago, and I haven’t – I’m not interested in Sam or Joe or whatever else you think.  I –“

“I don’t want one,” Mike said quickly, and he grabbed her hand, “I want you, Tina.  I got jealous, too.  I’m sorry.”

“It’s just that…it seems like you don’t have time for me any more,” Tina said, her eyes welling up with tears, “whenever I get a chance between school and glee and the play, you’re always too busy to talk to me.  And then I see pictures of you hanging out with Kevser, and I don’t want to be that girlfriend who says you can’t have any fun or other friends, so I’ve been hanging out with Sam, and okay, maybe we have been flirting a little, but it’s completely innocent, just friendly.  I could never be interested in him; I’d go crazy from all the impressions.”

Mike stared at her.  “I…I thought  _you_  were too busy having fun to care about making time for me,” he confessed, rubbing the back of his neck, “and it hurt.  I thought you were pulling away from me.  I’d blow off practice with Kevser but you wouldn’t be home to skype with me…”

Tina wiped her eyes, laughing a little through her tears.  “We’re kind of stupid, aren’t we?  Despite the GPAs and the Brainiacs trophies.”

“I can’t believe…Tina, I miss you so much, all the time.  The last thing I want is for us to grow apart, okay?”

“I don’t want that, either,” she said, reaching up to cup his face, “I love you and I miss you, and I-I guess we’re gonna have to work harder at this long-distance thing to make it work.  Starting with better scheduling so we actually get to talk and see each other’s faces.”

 

 

 

Mike nodded his agreement eagerly, blinking rapidly as he smiled at Tina, his breath hiccuping in his chest. His eyes slid closed as their lips met, soft and tentative at first, and then harder and firmer as they wrapped their arms around each other, like their bodies were realizing _oh yes this this is what I missed so much._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs: 
> 
> There Are Worse Things I Could Do (Grease) by Tina


	2. Brittany School Drop Out

“So I’m thinking of dropping out,” [Brittany](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdsyu68Pyn1rngi1xo2_r2_400.gif) said to [Sam](http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/28100000/December-6th-2011-Filming-Summer-Nights-song-sam-evans-28157612-682-1024.jpg) and [Tina](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mf2g7bQ42b1qilqg8.png) one evening, during their break from one of the dress rehearsals for Grease.

Sam looked over at her, confused.  “Of the play?  Brittany, I don’t think I’m going to be able to pull off the dancing I have to do during Hand Jive with someone else.  Do you even have an understudy?”

“Artie doesn’t believe in understudies,” Tina reminded him.

“I mean out of school,” Brittany told them, stroking the silver cylinders on her head absently.  Her giant headpiece was like a tiny playground, and she was pretty sure the school gerbils played in it when she wasn't using it.  “What do you guys think?”

Tina stared at her.  “I think it’s a terrible idea.”

“The only thing stopping me is my duties as president of this school,” Brittany said, nibbling on her lip, “but as Vice President, you would take over, right, Tina?  The same would happen if I had a funny beard and someone shot me at a theatre, and at least this way I could leave a tragic legacy and still get to live.”

“Why do you want to drop out?” Sam asked.

Brittany shrugged.  “I just think it’s a good idea.  I could be like Frenchy in the play and move to New York and go to beauty school.”

Tina gived her an impatient look.  “Brittany, the whole point of Frenchy’s story is that dropping out was a bad decision.  Are you really that unhappy here this year?”

It wasn't that Brittany hated everything.  She had the Cheerios, glee club, class presidency, that ferret in the library that helped her with her biology homework.  But she missed Santana so much her toes ached, and more than anything else, she was scared.  Scared that even with Ms. Pillsbury’s tutoring and Tina and Artie’s help, she was going to fail again this year, and the year after that, until she died and then rose up as a ghost that haunted the girls’ locker room and her only friend would be that dead kid Kurt always used to look at through the choir room window.

“I’d be happier in New York,” was all she said, and Tina snorted.  Tina had been in a terrible mood the past couple days, but at least it helped her act as Rizzo.

“I know school is hard,” Sam said sympathetically, “but we need our diplomas if we want to get good jobs and have careers.  Didn’t you think of that?”

“We could join the circus,” Brittany told him, her voice laced with irritation, “I’d be the tightrope walker and you’d scoop up elephant poop.”

She walked away before they could keep telling her how stupid she was being.  Like she needed any more confirmation that she'd be better off dropping out.  She told herself she’d make her final decision after the play’s run was over, when all the hairspray would be cleared out of her head.

***

That night, [Blaine Warbler](http://www.gleeksource.com/getattachment/43f6e52a-fa98-43d9-8929-353ca00d52d1/Blaine--s-Performance-of--Beauty-School-Dropout---.aspx?maxsidesize=580) appeared to her in a dream.  All in white, like an actual angel, he stood at the top of a set of stairs and [sang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8moIm4Z9IZg), as beautiful women in silver and white danced around him.

She recognized the scene from Grease in the back of her dream-mind and vaguely wondered why Caveman Joe wasn’t appearing to her, especially since he was related to Jesus.  But Blaine Angel’s voice was deep and swoon-worthy, and even though she liked her nose just fine the way it was, she thought she understood what his crooning voice and big Disney prince eyes were trying to tell her.

***

Opening night went well, and so did their Saturday show.  Sam didn't even step on her toes once, so they only ached from missing Santana, not from getting squished.

[Brittany](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdmpm26XNi1rlrzqmo1_500.jpg) was sitting backstage after their final bows, wiping off her make-up, when [Santana](http://www1.pictures.stylebistro.com/gi/Naya+Rivera+Pants+Shorts+Skinny+Pants+yZPnCpKguBll.jpg) appeared in her mirror.  For a second she thought the mirror was going to tell her she was the fairest of them all, but then Santana was real and squeezing her shoulder with one hand.

Brittany gasped and whirled around, throwing her arms around Santana and slightly crushing the [flowers](http://www.floristsydney.com.au/shop/images/big/B3.jpg) between their bodies.  “You came to see me!”

“Of course I did,” Santana said, grinning as they pulled apart, “I couldn’t miss my girlfriend being the hottest blond Cha-Cha to ever grace the stage.  You totally rocked it, Britt.”

“Thank you,” Brittany said, taking the flowers and burying her face in them.

“Also, I kind of wanted to see what a hot mess of a play the Jolly Whitebread Giant created.  I can’t believe he asked me to come play Rizzo,” Santana said, shaking her head.

 “I’m so happy you’re here!  I’ve been missing you so much that I wanted to quit school and go to New York.”

“Wait,” Santana said, her brow furrowing, “are you serious?”

Brittany nodded.  “I was going to become a beautician or maybe one of those people that they try out new drugs on so we didn’t have to be apart any more.”

“But you decided to stay in school, right?”

“Yeah.  I was going to resign as President on Monday, but then Blainegel appeared to me in a dream –“

Santana laughed.  “Blainegel?”

“It’s the perfect name,” Brittany told her happily, “since he isn’t a Warbler any more.  He appeared to me in a dream and told me I should stick with high school and get my diploma.  I think my brain knew Joe wouldn’t be able to convince me, even though he’s Teen Angel in the play.”

“Well, I’m glad your brain made the right choice, in both cases.”  Santana reached up and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.  “I’m so proud of you.  I know it’s hard, being apart like this.  I miss you all the time.  But in less than a year, we’ll be together, because you’re going to kick your classes in the balls and I’ll be there, cheering for you, when you walk across that stage and make one of those fugly red gowns look ridiculously sexy.  Okay?”

Brittany nodded, blushing and smiling.

“You know,” Santana drawled, “when I first watched Grease on video, I thought Cha-Cha and Rizzo totally should’ve ditched those losers fighting over them and hooked up instead.”

“That would’ve been super hot,” Brittany agreed, leaning closer to her.

“So how about I be your Rizzo tonight, Cha-Cha?”

 

 

Brittany’s lips gave her answer, but they didn't require any words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs:
> 
> Beauty School Drop Out (Grease) by Blaine


	3. The Unfinished Duet

It was November, and Rachel was finally starting to feel like she was settling in to New York.  Breaking up with Finn was one of the hardest things she has ever done, but she finally felt like she was moving forward with her life.  Despite Cassandra July’s clear vendetta against her, she was getting the chance to fall in love in New York with Brody, her other classes at NYADA were going well, her makeover had her feeling like a new woman rather than a little girl, and she had good friends she could rely on in Kurt and Blaine.  Even Santana seemed to be warming to her, at least a little.

One morning, as [she](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md7ad7RrIE1qeds6ko1_500.jpg) and [Blaine](http://oi52.tinypic.com/2cf2xkk.jpg) were warming up before their dance class, they got on the subject of McKinley’s musical.  Rachel had seen on Facebook that they were doing Grease this year.  She though it was a pretty safe choice, and very high school, but it was definitely a fun production.

She also thought attending the play would be the perfect way to prove that she really had grown up from her past life, her past love, her past self.

Blaine wasn’t so sure.  “I want to go and support our friends, too, Rachel, but do you really think it’s a good idea?”  He sat on the floor, his legs stretched out in front of him while he stretched.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Rachel bent over her leg, which was propped up on the barre.

“Well…how have things been since you and Finn broke up?  Have you talked to him much?”

Rachel avoided his eyes, pretending to concentrate on pointing her toe.  “Not really.  I thought it would be easier for him.”

“Don’t you think showing up at the play he’s helping to direct would be a bit much?  And what about you…do you think you’d be okay with seeing him again?”

“I’ll be fine,” Rachel said with a wave of her hand, “I want to go see the play.  It’s very important to support those kids in their pursuit of the performing arts.”

“Rachel, you’re the same age as-“

“What play do you want to go see?” Rachel barely suppressed a cringe at the sound of Cassandra’s voice. The last time she had seen her was last afternoon’s dance class, when she’d been telling Brody about her upcoming audition.  Of course Cassandra had had to interject and insult her, obviously full of jealousy over Rachel’s audition.  Rachel had tried to be nice, suggesting Cassandra try for one of the smaller roles, but it hadn't gone over well.

“Our old high school is putting on Grease this weekend,” Blaine sayid, eyes flitting from [Cassandra](http://www1.pictures.stylebistro.com/zp/Kate+Hudson+Tops+Crop+Top+7s0nKO43Lnnl.jpg) to Rachel, his voice carefully calm and polite.

“I see,” Cassandra said, placing her leg on the barre in a mirror of Rachel’s position and stretching.  Rachel tried not to notice how much more flexible she was.  “Well, I think it’s a good idea.”

Rachel straightened up and looked at her in shock.  “Y-you do?”

“Of course.  You two must miss your parents back in Iowa, right?”

“Ohio,” they corrected her.

She rolled her eyes.  “Whatever.  You miss them, right?  I’ll tell you what: I have some frequent flier miles saved up; why don’t you two use them for the flights?”

Rachel didn’t really know what to say, and from the way his eyebrows shot up, she guessed Blaine didn’t either.  This was entirely unexpected of Cassandra; Rachel expected only mockery and sneering from her at this point, so for her to do something so nice was throwing her off.

“Thank you,” she managed to say.

“That’s…really generous of you,” Blaine said, “we couldn’t possibly-“

“I insist,” Cassandra said, actually smiling at them, “you must be stressed out; a nice visit home would be just the thing, wouldn’t it?”

She swaggered away as the classroom started to fill up with more students.

“What was that about?” Blaine muttered to Rachel, rolling his shoulders.

“Well, maybe she’s just seen the error of her ways,” Rachel said primly, straightening her tunic, “about time, if you ask me.  Though paying for our flights, well…it is really nice of her.  Anyway, I guess this decides it, right?  We’re going?”

Blaine hummed.  “Kurt would probably like the chance to go support…his step-brother.  And Santana was already planning on going to surprise Brittany.  I bet Mike like to go, too.  I’ll text him after class.”

Rachel smiled wide and gave him a quick nod as Cassandra called the class to attention.  With things going so well in New York, and Brody in her life, a quick trip to the small town she left behind should be fine, and she was sure any grown-up, sophisticated New York woman could handle seeing her ex-boyfriend.

***

The following Saturday, [Rachel](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdlrwlmYQJ1qeds6ko1_r1_500.jpg) found herself walking the halls of McKinley alone while she waited for the play to start.  Santana and Mike had already found their seats, and Blaine and Kurt had excused themselves to “go on a nostalgia tour”, which she took to mean "have a secret make out session under the glow-in-the-dark stars in the astronomy classroom".  She couldn’t blame them; they probably hadn't had very many opportunities to do silly, teenage things like that at McKinley in the past.

She didn’t know what made her do it, but her feet take her backstage.  It was one of the places that held some very fond memories for her, like getting ready for West Side Story with Blaine, or fixing Mercedes’s dress before a glee performance, or all the times she had taken a breath and knew in her heart that she was meant to be on a stage as she had waited in the wings before stepping into the spotlight.

She didn't get much time for reminiscing, because as soon as she slipped inside, she found herself face to face with [Finn and Artie](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mf2g8ePTHd1qilqg8.png).

“Rachel,” Finn said in surprise.

There was a moment of silence.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hey Rachel, you came to see the play?” Artie said, the smile on his face a little too wide as he glanced between her and Finn.  She leaned down to hug him.

“Yes, we – a few of us did.  I assume you’ve done a great job in preparation, Misters Director?”

She could hear the effort behind the sunny tone of her voice.

“I…” Finn was looking at her with this pained expression, one that was almost hopeful and hopeless at the same time.  “How are you doing?” He asked.

“I’m good,” Rachel told him.  He looked so handsome in his blazer and tie.  “I’m fine.  How are you?”

“Good,” he mumbled.  “It’s…it’s good to see you, Rachel.”

He was obviously not doing well.  Her smile was tight as she echoed the sentiment, hands keeping a death grip on her clutch.

There was another tense moment, which Artie thankfully broke again.

“Okay, well, as sufficiently awkward as this has been, and it’s such a pleasure to see you Rachel,” he said in that patronizing tone he always has when he really couldn’t care less about situation, “we’ve got to go to the green room for the show circle.  You understand.”

“Right, of course I do,” Rachel said, relieved to have something else to focus on, “pre-performance rituals are so, so important.  I’ll just…I’ll just go find my seat.”  She realized Finn had been staring at her for this whole exchange and offered him a quick smile before she spun on her heel and rushed towards the door.

It was possible that coming for the play hadn't been such a good idea, after all.

***

Rachel managed to keep the conversation backstage from her mind throughout the play, laughing and applauding at the right moments, mouthing the words of the songs with [Kurt](http://media.tumblr.com/9a4dbafaa6de6e1a39931a223c33fbaf/tumblr_inline_mjq6peVexT1qz4rgp.png).  The [girl](http://media.tumblr.com/a3c4ed0dad55f82a168658aaba1b3356/tumblr_inline_mgzlfgBToZ1reolap.png) playng Sandy (Kitty Wilde, according to the program) was the perfect choice physically, but Rachel knew that in her place, she would have brought much more emotional depth to the role.

But when they reached the end of the play, and [Kitty](http://blu.stb.s-msn.com/i/C1/FEA140B0B5C2AC8E39545F716_h400_w300_m2_bblack_q100_p100_cMtEZliNe.jpg) emerged in the black catsuit, followed by her [Danny](http://media.tumblr.com/36d324d38b6f9a79aa8ca3ce539607f0/tumblr_inline_mgzlfnLyMs1reolap.png) (Puck’s younger brother, who Rachel didn’t even know existed until now), who stripped off the letterman’s cardigan as they [sang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_864Y7G4tk) “You’re The One That I Want”, Rachel couldn't breathe for feeling.

_“I got chills, and they’re multiplying, and I’m losing control…”_

It was the song she and Finn never got to finish singing together.

_“You better shape up, cause I need a man…”_

She could’t help but imagine that if they were all still in high school together, it would be she and Finn up there as Sandy and Danny (even if part of her knows Blaine probably would’ve ended up with the role), with all their friends dancing around them. 

_“…you’re the one that I want, you’re the one I need, oh yes indeed!”_

Rachel broke away from her group as soon as she could, and headed to a familiar retreat: the girl’s bathroom.  Coming back to Lima wasn’t supposed to feel like this, like she was moving backwards.  She needed to remember who she was now, she needed to remind herself that she was grown up, an adult, she needed to escape the painful yearning in her chest for the way things used to be, for Finn, for her high school romance.

She needed Brody.

She called him up with trembling fingers jabbing at the buttons on her cell and waited, staring at her face – skin blotchy, eyes wet – in the mirror as the phone rang.

“Hello, Schwimmer.”

Rachel blinked and pulled her phone from her ear, staring down at Brody’s name on the screen, contradicting what was very much not Brody’s voice on the other end.

“Wh- Cassandra?” She said, stunned.  “Why are you answering Brody’s phone?”

Cassandra sighed, impatient.  “Why do you think?”

“Where is Brody?” Rachel demanded.

“He’s in the shower,” Cassandra said, her voice full of condescending sweetness, and then she laughed.  “We just worked up quite the sweat.”

“You…you didn’t-“

“Yes, we slept together,” Cassandra said plainly, like she was describing getting her nails done.

“Why would – he’s a student; why would you –“

“He’s not my student,” Cassandra snapped, “and why did I?  Because I can, Schwimmer.  And to teach you a lesson.  You think you’re ready for the big, bad world of Broadway?  You’re not.  I can hear it in your voice.  You’re just a child.”

Rachel hung up, shaking, and pressed a hand to her mouth to muffle her sob as her tears began to fall.

It was like all those months in New York, the makeover, NYADA, none of it mattered, because here she was, again, crying in the girls bathroom over a boy breaking her heart.

“Rachel?”

She started, and looked up, finding Finn’s reflection in the mirror.  He was standing just inside the door, looking awkward like Finn often did.  It was so endearing and familiar that she had to restrain herself from running into his arms, and just turned to face him instead, wiping her eyes.

“Finn.  The…the play was great.  I’m proud of you.”

“Artie did most of it; I just helped a little.  I guess I…wasn’t used to calling the shots without you around to be my moose.”

She smiled despite herself.  “You mean your muse.”

“I know,” he said with a small smile, taking a step towards her, “I just say stuff like that sometimes to make you smile.”

Rachel smiled a little wider.  “It’s weird being back here.  Different than I thought.  It’s making me remember a lot of things.”

“Simpler times,” Finn replied, and he moved closer, standing right in front of her, “things were easier back then.”

“They were,” she said, feeling sick as she remembers Cassandra’s voice purring to her through the phone, “but –“

“Rachel, who were you crying about?”

“I – what?”

“I know you pretty well, you know.  I’ve seen you cry enough times that I know you have four different kinds of crying.  One’s fake crying to get something you want and it always involves a tissue and an audience.  Then there’s singing crying, and this obviously isn’t that.  The third is disappointed crying, when you can’t stop sobbing.  And the last kind is when you’re crying over a boy, and I can recognize that one pretty easy, since you were usually crying over me.”

Rachel stared at him, his mouth set in a frown, brown eyes searching hers.  She wanted to throw her arms around him and just let him hold her when he spoke again.

“Were you crying over me this time?”

It wasn't a question, not really.

“No,” she said quietly.

His jaw clenched and he stepped back.  “I can’t do this with you, Rachel.  I can’t see you; I can’t talk to you.  It hurts too much.  It…it hurts too much to see you in here, crying over some other guy.”  He shaked his head.  “The next time you come to Lima, I don’t want to see you.  I don’t want to know you’re here.”

Her breath caught in her throat as he stormed away, but she didn’t call after him.  She just sank to the floor and tried not to cry over two boys in one evening.

When Kurt and [Blaine](http://cdn01.cdn.socialitelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/darren-criss-csa-artios-awards-arrivals-09272011-03.jpg) found her some minutes later, poking their heads into the bathroom cautiously, she was at the sink, fixing her make up.

“Rachel?  Are you okay?” Kurt’s voice was soft and gentle, like Blaine’s hand on her shoulder.  She looked down at the sink for a moment.

 

 

 

“I want to go home.”  Her throat was raw from crying, voice hollow, and this visit to Lima had proved one thing beyond a doubt.  “This isn’t where I belong any more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're The One That I Want (Grease) by Jake and Kitty

**Author's Note:**

> Song Order: Beauty School Drop Out, There Are Worse Things I Could Do, You're the One that I Want


End file.
